Army aviation readiness was a focus at Tuesday’s House defense budget hearing as lawmakers questioned the effect of rising fuel costs, training reductions and helicopter funding decisions on the force. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said the Pentagon had notified lawmakers that the standard fuel price for the services had increased from $154 to $195 per barrel.
“That’s more we have to pay for fuel,” McCollum said during the hearing. “Then there’s less money available for training and exercise that the services need to perform.”
According to ABC News, internal planning documents it was able to review show III Armored Corps aviation units could deploy next year at a lower state of readiness, with pilot flight hours reduced to minimum required levels. Those documents reportedly show that the Army is working through a $4 billion to $6 billion shortfall and has begun cutting or reviewing training across portions of the force, including aviation units.
The service said last September that it would eliminate around 6,500 active-duty aviation roles in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, in favor of a greater emphasis on unmanned aviation.
Questions around Army helicopter procurement were also raised during the hearing, including the future of the Apache, Black Hawk and Chinook fleets. Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, said the fiscal 2027 budget request appeared to zero out funding for the three platforms, despite the Army’s continued use of the aircraft. Hegseth said the department would take another look at the issue, saying the Chinook is used “all the time” and that the Army needs to avoid creating a capability gap before future systems are available. Caine told lawmakers the force still needs survivable battlefield mobility as the Army moves toward future aviation capabilities.
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